


Then And Now

by shutterbug_12 (shutterbug)



Category: West Wing
Genre: American Politics, Drabble Collection, Drabble Sequence, Elections, Gen, Politics, Washington D.C., Wordcount: 100-1.000, Writing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-06-18
Updated: 2010-06-18
Packaged: 2017-10-10 03:49:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/95148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shutterbug/pseuds/shutterbug_12
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A drabble series that follows the senior staff the night before Bartlet's first Inauguration Day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Then And Now

**Author's Note:**

> Approximate timeline: pre-series; Bartlet's first Inauguration Day. For Challenge 20: Drabbles at [](http://community.livejournal.com/sorkinverse/profile)[](http://community.livejournal.com/sorkinverse/)**sorkinverse**.

**Then**  
"It needs more punch," Toby said. "We have to open strong. We can't sidestep hot-button issues because we'll be in the White House in the morning."

Sam peered at Toby, who scratched out a line of text. "The language isn't weak, it's--"

"It _is_ weak!"

"--diplomatic. We opened strong. There's--look, there's strength all over the place! A little diplomacy--"

Sam turned as the door opened. Without a greeting, Leo stole Toby's notepad from under his fists.

"Leo--"

"It's done," Leo said, stuffing the pad into his briefcase. "You two can't _think_ anymore, never mind reconstruct the D section. Go home. Sleep. Tomorrow's going to be one hell of a day."

**And**  
2:11.

In bed, CJ stared at her alarm clock. Awake.

Words buzzed in her brain as she tested phrases--a silent, dry rehearsal. _The President hopes that--the President is confident that both parties--_

2:13.

She pictured herself at the podium, poised and calm. Relaxed. In control. The lion tamer of the press room circus. She wished she'd studied their faces. She'd committed their names and seats to memory. Most of them. Number eighteen hadn't stuck. Ted? Travis? She'd need a memory device.

2:16

She rolled her head and drew a deep breath. She'd waited for months. She could wait another five hours.

**Now**  
With wide, curious eyes, Donna stared around the new office--the _bullpen_, someone had called it. Glass partitions. Stacks of boxes and binders.

Josh ushered her toward a desk opposite several filing cabinets. "That's yours."

She set her box of personal items on the chair. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I need you close to my office."

"Which one's your office?"

He pointed to the door over her shoulder. "That one."

She leaned forward, her hands flat on the lid of her box as she asked, "What do we do now?"

Josh cocked his head and smiled. "Now we run a country."


End file.
